Michael Carter: Our players are responsible for the future of the game

Wakefield Trinity chief executive Michael Carter has laid down the law to his players and put the responsibility for the game’s future in their hands.

It was announced yesterday that track and trace analysis had led to two Wakefield players being stood down after their opponents last week, Catalans, returned three positive Covid-19 tests, with Carter revealing a third player will also now self-isolate.

It is the second time Trinity have been affected by positive tests from other clubs, after their game against St Helens was postponed two weeks ago due to 12 members of Hull FC’s staff testing positive, but Carter insists that while the situation is far from ideal, he and his colleagues are aware of the bigger picture.

“I sit here as a CEO not having to play the game,” he said. “This guy alongside me (head coach Chris Chester) has to deal with all the coaching and team implications that it brings.

“Wakefield Trinity are bending over backwards to make sure the game goes ahead and that the game in total can overcome this crisis that we’re currently trying to battle against.

“Two weeks ago we got told with 72 hours’ notice that our game had changed. They’d done all their video, all their prep work but we took it on the chin and just got on with it – we didn’t moan, we didn’t cry about it and that’s what we’ll be looking to do this weekend.

“The reaction from the coaching and playing staff has been fantastic and yes, we’ve lost a couple of games, but we’ve got the games on at very short notice.”

The revelation of the positive tests has raised fears among Trinity’s players regarding their own safety, prompting the club to arrange a call with medical professionals, as well as schedule another round of testing for tomorrow.

Carter understands their concerns but has entrusted them to also take responsibility for their own health, as well as the future of the game.

He added: “We spoke to the players this week and have had a genuine buy-in from them.

“I spoke to Clarkey (Hull FC CEO James Clark) last night and there was an extraordinary set of circumstances that led to their outbreak of Covid within their group. So we can’t be complacent.

“I’ve laid it on the line this week to our players that they are responsible for the future of the game and surely we can get through the next three months without going to the local pub or whatever it may be.

“We’ve got to do whatever we can to get this entire game through this period of crisis.”